Quarter HorsesBy

Kiplee Richards

Fossil Records 18 Jan 1800-Earliest remains of the Paleocene epoch (about 54 million years ago) in North America. More recent fossils found from the

Eocene epoch (about 50 million years ago) in Europe.

The 1st Horse 18 Jan 1810- Eohippus “dawn horse” – the earliest version of the modern horse. It was small, primitive horse about the size of a fox.

Elongated skull, arched back and short tail. It had 4 functional toes on each front foot and 3 toes on hind legs

Eohippus Evolves 18 Jan 1820- During Oligocene epoch (about 35 million years ago) earth’s temperature and climate changed. Forest thinned and grass

became more prevalent, thus Mesohippus appeared.

Evolution of the Horse 1

Mesohippus 18 Jan 1830- It is larger than Eohippus. It only has 3 toes on its front feet and was better suited to outrun predators. The toes became little hooves. Became extinct in North American and Europe about 7 million years

ago.

A new horse 18 Jan 1840- Appeared in the Miocene epoch, 20 million years ago. Merychippus evolved in North America and adapted to the grasses of the

plains. The beginning of the grazing horse today.

Merychippus 18 Jan 1850- Increased in size to 35 inches. Lived in herds. They have 2 outer toes diminished and middle to harden into hooves.

Evolution of the horse 2

Phiohippus 18 Jan 1860- Middle Miocene, around is million years ago. Two long extra toes on both sides of the hoof, externally barely visible as callused stubs. Believed to

be the ancestor of present day horses because of its many anatomical similarities.

Extinction 18 Jan 1870- About 10,000 years ago, many of the prehistoric horses became extinct. Result of climate changes. Only surviving horses were in Asia along with several

zebra. Horses were wiped out in North America.

The Modern Horse 18 Jan 1880- Scientist calls it Equvs caballus. Some believe Spanish explorers brought the animals with them on their voyages to the new world in the 1500s. Were let loose on the prairies and became vast herds of wild horses. Asian

nomads first domesticated horses nearly 5,000 years ago. 3,000 years ago, the horse had become a fixture of many ancient civilizations. The horse’s quick feet so impressed

the Persians that they put the animal to work as a communications tool.

Evolution of the Horse 3

Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata,Class: Mammalia,Order: Perissodactyla, Family: Equidae, Genus: Equus,

Species: Caballus

Origin: United States

18th Century by settlers in Virginia, Carolinas

Had to be able to race

Quarter Horses History 1

Quarter horse, American breed of light horse that originated during the colonial era, partly from Arabian ancestry (see Arabian horse). It

can spring into full speed and consequently is faster than the Thoroughbred for a short sprint. The breed was by far the most

popular cattle horse in the early West. It continues in this role today and is also used almost exclusively for rodeo events such as cutting,

roping, and barrel racing. Registered quarter horses are of solid colors, weigh over 1,000 lb (450 kg), and have thick muscular

shoulders and short necks.

Quarter Horse History 2

14.3 hh-16hh (59-64in), 1 to 4 ratio (hand to inches)

America’s Oldest Breed and very popular, 3 million registered in US

Runs a quarter of a mile around 20 seconds

Can live 20 to 30 years of age

weigh over 1,000 lb (450 kg)

Quarter Horse Facts

Strong

Gentle

Versatile

Most Common in US

Characteristics

AQHA- recognizes 13 colors. The most prominent color is sorrel (reddish brown). Other colors include bay, black, brown,

buckskin, chestnut, dun, red dun, gray (what most people call "white"), grullo, palomino, red roan and blue roan. American

Quarter Horses are also only allowed limited white markings on the face and below the knees. These markings may be of a

variety of shapes, including stockings, stars, strips, and blazes. However, no American Quarter Horse may have white spots or

patches anywhere other than the face or cannon.

Characteristics Cont

Used forShowing

Halter Showing

Reining

Horse Racing

Rodeos

Ranch & Farm

Pleasure

Dressage

Jumping

Riding (General)

Halter- halter only

Dressage- Dance Routine with patterns

Ranch- ranch riding, ranch trail, ranch cutting, working ranch horse and ranch

conformation

Showing

Halter is judges and balance, structural correctness, and muscle tone. The horse should look balanced. This does require a trained eye though. They

should be well proportioned - they're head, neck, body, croup should all be in proportion. They should have straight legs both when standing and when

traveling. Remember though - no horse is perfect - the goal is to get as close as possible though. In halter - you will typically show from the gate. You will walk toward the judge and then trot away and turn left and continue trotting

into the lineup.

Halter

Judges the horse on movements, mastery of a prescribed maneuver and attitude as he is guided through one of 11

AQHA patterns. The horse is required to perform a number of stops, spins, rollbacks, lead changes and circles at a

lope. The horse should be willing to be guided with little or no resistance.

Reining

Quarter Horse race horses are bred to sprint short distances ranging from 220 to 870 yards. Thus, they have long legs and are leaner than their stock type counterparts, but are still characterized by muscular hindquarters and powerful legs. Quarter horses race primarily against other Quarter horses, and their sprinting ability has earned them the nickname, "the world's fastest athlete." The Grand National has been won more times by horses whose names begin with R than any other

letter.

Racing

Calf Roping- ropes the calf and ties 3 legs & stays tied for 6 secs

Team Roping- a person ropes the horns & other ropes the 2 hind legs

Barrel Racing- Around 3 barrels in a Cloverleaf pattern w/o knock barrels (5 secs)

Rodeos

The main use of quarter horses on farms and ranches is to help work cattle.Quarter

Horses are known for their ‘cow sense’. Once widely used as working cow horses they now excel at rodeo events such as

reining, cutting, team penning and speed games.

Ranch & Farm

One of the most popular AQHA show events is western pleasure. Contestants compete simultaneously, traveling the

perimeter of the arena, and at the discretion of the judge, are asked to walk, jog, lope and reverse the direction of the horse.

Horses are evaluated on quality of movement while staying quiet and calm, traveling on a loose rein.

Western Pleasure

French term meaning “training” and its purpose is to develop the horse’s natural athletic ability and willingness to work making him calm, supple and

attentive to his rider. Dressage patterns, or “tests,” are designed to showcase the horse’s ability to demonstrate these strengths through various

movements. Competition occurs in a regulation size arena with specific apparel and equipment all regulated by USEF. AQHA- approved dressage

classes will only be held concurrent with USEF/ USDF-licensed shows which must be AQHA approved. Open, amateur and youth eligibility are based on

AQHA criteria.

Dressage

Jumping is a true test of a horse’s athletic ability to perform over fences. Jumping consists of at least four obstacles and a minimum of eight jumps.

Scores are based on time and penalty faults. Faults are assessed when a horse refuses to jump, knocks down an obstacle, or causes an obstacle to be knocked down. Horses completing the course without faults return to

compete in a timed “jump-off” to determine final placings.

Jumping

This is done from the left side by putting your left foot into the stirrup and lifting your right leg over. Remember to always fasten the girth (a "belt" which keeps the saddle in place), otherwise the saddle may tip over. Land softly on the seat, so you won't startle or hurt the horse.

Adjust your stirrups to fit your feet

Place the reins in your hands

Squeeze his sides slightly with both of your legs. The right place is just behind the girth. If he doesn't respond, you will have to squeeze a little

harder.

Getting On A Horse

AQHA ?

Purpose was to organize a breed registry & open a studbook.

1940- named american Quarter Horse Association , horses had specific requirements to be register, 1st AQHA horse show

1946- Moved to Amarillo, TX from Fort Worth, TX

1948- 1st issue of The Quarter Horse Journal

1964- Membership over 30,000 first time

1966- 37,000 members & 54,000 plus horses registered

1968- registered quarter horses recognized in 38 countries

AQHA History 1

1970- created american Junior Quarter Horse Association as youth outreach

1974- 1 million registered horses & 75,000 members

1975- nonprofit American Quarter Horse Foundation created

1977- Youth Scholarship Program created

1983- 2 million horses registered with over 140,000 members

1988- Novice program more than 47,000 youth entries & The Quarter Racing Journal launch

1990- 50th year anniversary

AQHA History 2

1991- 3 million registered horses

1998- America’s Horse magazine launched & 3.6 million horses registered

AQHA Mission

“To record and preserve the pedigrees of the American Quarter Horse while maintaining the integrity of the breed; To provide beneficial services for its members

which enhance and encourage American Quarter Horse ownership and participation; To generate growth of AQHA membership via the marketing, promotion, advertising, and

publicity of the American Quarter Horse ”

AQHA History 3

The American Quarter Horse Association works to ensure not only the integrity and welfare of American Quarter Horses, but

also the integ- rity and welfare of the entire horse industry. AQHA continually revises its policies concerning animal welfare

via the Public Policy Commit- tee, Alliance Partners and its Animal Welfare Commission. Through these avenues, as well as industry leadership, advisory groups and councils, the American

Quarter Horse Association is able to expand upon its proven efforts to safeguard the welfare of American Quarter Horses as

outlined by the AQHA Statement of Position.

AQHA Handbook Policy Statement

Amendments

Memberships

Voting Rights

General Notice

AQHA Handbook Rules (General)

AQHA BylawsMembers

Amendments

Directors

Executive Committee

Name & Purpose

Membership

Amendments

Termination

AQHA FeesBreeder Referral

Certificate

Embryo transfer & enroll

Genetic Testing

Stallion Breed report

Thoroughbred Record

Horseback Riding Program

Lease

Membership

Registration

Tattooed

Transfer

Unsportsmanship

Prohibited Assistance

Medication

Surgery Procedure & etc.

AQHA Violations

Procedure

Testing

Naming a Horse

Color, Marking, Age

AQHA Handbook Rules (Registration)

Earnings

Time Trial

Ownership

Points & Awards

AQHA Racing Handbook

Halter

Western

English

Awards & Judges

AQHA Shows Handbook

AQH Foundation

Championships

Youth

Trail Ride & Challenge

AQHA Program Summary

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Handbook.aspx>.

"AQHA Competition Classes." AQHA: Class Descriptions. Web. 08 Apr. 2014. <http://aqha.

com/Showing/Content-Pages/Resources/Exhibitors/Guide-to-Showing/Class-

Descriptions.aspx>.

"History of the Horse." Timetoast. Web. 08 Apr. 2014. <http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/108044>.

"American Quarter Horse." America's Horse: The Breed Profile. Web. 08 Apr. 2014. <http://www.

drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?c=15498&articleid=1615&d=508>.

Kidd, Jane. International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds. Tucson, AZ: HP, 1986. Print.

Price, Steven D. The American Quarter Horse: An Introduction to Selection, Care, and Enjoyment.

New York, NY: Lyons, 1999. Print.

"Top 10 Facts about Horse Racing." Daily Express Top 10 Facts RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2014.

"The history of the quarter horse." Gympie Times 2014: 5. Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 11 Apr.

2014.

Sikes, L. N. Using the American Quarter Horse. Houston: Saddlerock, 1958. Print.